While it is true that a public-private partnership will likely be required to resolve the congestion along the Interstate 70 mountain Corridor, we cannot ignore the fact that this approach entails an inherent bias.

When the Colorado Department of Transportation’s only tool is a hammer, all its problems begin to look like nails. Tolls are appropriate when the technical recommendation and community preference favor expanded lanes, as is the case for U.S. 36.

Over the past 20 years, four engineering studies and more than $50 million of public money have determined additional lanes cannot meet the peak period demand on I-70. The circumstances that created a 10-hour commute on Feb. 9 would not have been alleviated with an HOV lane.

Only an advanced-guideway transit technology, impervious to weather, avalanches and jack-knifed 14-wheelers, can provide genuine relief. Financing this alternative with a PPP is a distinctly different challenge than tolling asphalt.

Miller Hudson, Denver

This letter was published in the Feb. 23 edition.

I marvel at Colorado legislators and CDOT officials as they continue to struggle with the mass of humanity wanting to conquer the challenge of the slopes during nature’s more harrowing time of the year. Indeed there have been significant engineering feats regarding I-70. Now Colorado faces another challenge for the highway regarding the masses wanting to flee the crowded city in order to populate the mountains for recreation.

It seems to me that the most congestion challenges and resulting anger occur during the ski season. Because there is another requirement to accommodate the masses during that trying time of year, why not place a use tax on ski tickets to help fund additional I-70 highway improvement? It seems the very people contributing the most to the congestion problem would not be averse to funding a solution.

Anthony Williams, Aurora

This letter was published in the Feb. 23 edition.

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For the most part, any “problem” on I-70 is “westbound” Friday afternoon and maybe Saturday morning…….and “eastbound” Sunday afternoon and early evening.

We KNOW a “problem” exists during those times. Everyone KNOWS a “problem” exists……and has existed…….for DECADES now.

Thus those who WANT to commute to and from the mountains during those times……do so……because they WANT to……..otherwise……they wouldn’t.

They WANT to travel in rush hour and peak travel times…….otherwise they THEMSELVES……WOULDN’T.

So LET THEM. They KNOW what traffic is like……and that there is NO EASY FIX…….so they OBVIOUSLY DON’T MIND the traffic…..AT ALL.

Otherwise……if the traffic really, really, really bothered them…..they would NOT travel during those times.

toohip

CDOT’s brilliant idea to avoid the 5-10 hour commute up the west side route to Eisenhower Tunnel from Silverthorne is to have a patrol car “slowly” lead a convoy up to the tunnel, so no one gets ahead and too fast to spin out and get stuck? Didn’t we hear this same brilliant idea to control traffic coming “down” I70 from the tunnel and how that was an epic failure?

There are many common sense solutions. One is if during a snow storm like before, limit two-wheel drive cars to the far right lane except to pass. All-wheel drives can use any lane, and commercial trucks are forbidden until the snow conditions subside. Another is to simply have sand trucks and push-trucks to keep the highway at the top clear and sanded, and push anyone stuck off the road and out of the way. Metering at the tunnel is another stupid idea to control flow, it just makes things slower. Ever notice CDOT’s idea to control traffic is to make it go slower?

peterpi

You’re forgetting that certain all-wheel or four-wheel drive drivers believe the car company commercials and zoom along in adverse conditions, … until they have to stop suddenly. Then they run into trouble, and create traffic jams for everybody, including those slow-poke two-wheel drivers you apparently disdain.

Dano2

Yes, it is a good idea. The drivers spinning out and rushing over to get right to the end of a lane ending are the ones screwing up traffic.

We know from road design that roads that were slowed down have better flow.

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